Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 13:46:39 -0800 From: Eric Hodel <hodeleri@seattleu.edu> To: rick hamell <hamellr@dsinw.com> Cc: Rob <drifter@stratos.nospam.net>, freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: The FreeBSD Dictionary Message-ID: <36DDADBF.BFCCBAFE@seattleu.edu> References: <Pine.BSF.3.91.990303021508.5542A-100000@dsinw.com>
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rick hamell wrote: > > > This might sound like a stupid question, but how is it possible > > to "copyright" a dictionary? I(c) mean(c), they(c) don't(c) own(c) > > the(c) words(c), do they? > > At the very least, it would seem that Webster's would be hard- > > pressed to prove that somebody "stole" their word list. > > Not really, Websters tends to define words differently then other > dictionary compaines. As such they could easily prove that a list of > words is 'thier's.' It would be nice to have a more up to date list, but > until someone has the time to sit down and enter them.... perhaps there > is already an onnline resource that 'we' could borrow from? I know there > are tons of scrabble dictionaries onnline... > > Rick Actually, dictionaries have non-real words in the dictionary, say like Foomeister and define it with some non-definition, like: foomeister (n.) [from the Latin foumize] - To read fortune -o for days at a time Then if anybody copies the dictionary, you just have to have your lawyer ask you "What is the meaning of foomeister?" and you can reply "It has no meaning." he will say "How is that? It says right here in your dictionary 'blah.'" and you reply, "It is a fake word, and means nothing at all. I only put it in there to catch plagarists." Case closed. -- Eric Hodel hodeleri@seattleu.edu Where do you want to go today? http://www.FreeBSD.org To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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